Affirmative Action Okay For U.S. Military Academies...

 

By EDUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ

McALLEN, Texas | That expected ruling ending affirmative action programs at colleges and universities apparently does not apply to the U.S. Military Academies, such as Annapolis and West Point. How odd, eh? I mean, the academies are for Americans too. Yet, they are exempt from ending the open recruitment of Blacks, Hispanics and Asians?

Well, yes.

This from a report about that at businessinsider.com: [ . . .In a 6-3 decision issued on Thursday, the United States Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, preventing higher educational institutions from considering race in admissions decisions. But there's one key exception: the nation's military academies.

In a footnote to the majority opinion authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, the Court made clear that the sweeping decision will not be applied to federally funded service academies - such as West Point and the Air Force Academy - noting that those institutions were not involved in the two cases brought before the Court, which targeted Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.

"None of the courts below addressed the propriety of race-based admissions systems in that context," reads the footnote on page 30 of the decision. "This opinion also does not address the issue, in light of the potentially distinct interests that military academies may present."

The court also cited the amicus curae filed by the federal government in the case, which argued that affirmative action "further compelling interests at our Nation's military academies."

"The United States Armed Forces have long recognized that the Nation's military strength and readiness depend on a pipeline of officers who are both highly qualified and racially diverse - and who have been educated in diverse environments that prepare them to lead increasingly diverse forces," reads the amicus curae submitted by the federal government. "The United States thus has a vital interest in ensuring that the Nation's service academies and civilian universities retain the ability to achieve those educational benefits by considering race." ]

Ha ha ha.

It's just so damned funny that when something suits a certain sector of our population that the courts will make allowances. This is a big one.

"Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it," Chief Justice Roberts had written for the majority.

Hell, if "Affirmative Action" is so bad and a threat to a fair society, you would certainly think that it would surely apply to our military academies. All five have the reputation of accepting only the best students, and, of course, allowing members of Congress to nominate them. I guess they just wanted to keep those public relations plusses for our politicians. You nominate a kid in your district and you make the local newspaper.

Pathetic. Cowardly for Justice Roberts to use a ruling footnote to exempt the military academies.

If you're going to end "Affirmative Action"...end it completely. No ifs, ands or buts.

But it is a Republican-led Supreme Court.

Still playing games...

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